Father's Day
by godblessthefandom
Summary: The Lopez-Pierces discuss Father's Day. Pure Fluff (Don't Judge Me!) T for some naughty words. Brittana


"Mom, was I born in a test tube?"

Brittany had been standing at the kitchen counter, chopping carrots for a midafternoon snack for her nine year old daughter, and suddenly the room was too bright and too hot and too everything.

Tesla Alma Lopez-Pierce sat on a stool at the kitchen counter, her brown legs sticking out from under a bright pink tutu, and rainbow colored knee socks, kicking fitfully at the wall in front of her.

She'd inherited her Mami's looks, that was for sure. All flawless brown skin, and amber eyes, with dark hair that curled and frizzed whenever Santana didn't want it to. Brittany loved it though, her daughter's unruly hair and unruly smile, and general unruliness. Not that Tess was a disobedient child. She wasn't. In fact, she was too smart for her own good, but she had her Mami's attitude, and her Mom's gentle, carefree spirit. And Brittany couldn't help but love someone who looked like a mini Santana.

Brittany had frozen, nearly slicing her finger instead of the carrot on her cutting board. She yelped, sticking her finger into her mouth. Tess's eyes grew wide, and she quickly looked back down at her math homework.

"Never mind." She mumbled.

"Why would-?" Brittany could feel her voice rising hysterically. She took a moment, spreading her hands on the counter, and breathing deeply.

"Who told you you were born in a test tube?" She asked as calmly as she was able.

Tess seemed to shrink further into herself, and shook her head fitfully.

"Nobody." She shrugged.

Brittany walked around the counter until she stood in front of her daughter. Wiping her hands on her apron, she cupped Tess' face, until her eyes met Brittany's. Her heart stopped in her chest when she saw the tears gathered in the corners there.

"Oh, baby."

She gathered her daughter up in her arms, picking her bodily up from the stool, and pulled her in tight, her daughter's legs wrapping around her waist. She carefully walked them both through the kitchen, and into the den, before settling gently into the couch. Sinking down in the cushions, she held her close until her quiet cries became soft hiccups, and began to fade away.

"Talk to me, sweetheart." Brittany pleaded, rubbing small circles into the girl's back.

Tess took a couple of deep breaths before finally turning to look at her mom.

"Madison Gurney." She said with a huff. "Ms. White said we were going to make gifts for our dad's for Father's Day, and if I wanted, I could make one for my moms. And Madison said I didn't have a dad because I was born in a test tube, and they had to grow me in a Petri dish until I was big enough to put in a tank. Then I swam around in the tank for nine months, and that if you looked real close, you could see the gills that I had from when I lived underwater."

The speech came out in what seemed like one long breath. If Brittany wasn't so sad for her little girl, she might have laughed. It was a silly story, and just the kind of thing that she might have thought when she was young. But she never would have pointed it at someone to make them feel bad about themselves. It was mean, and bullying. Which was not okay. She would have to bring this up with Ms. White. She didn't want her daughter being bullied at school just because her home life wasn't 'typical'. Maybe she'd send Santana after her. Ever since their first parent teacher conference, during which Santana had made sure that everyone knew that not only was she a lawyer, but one of the youngest partners at one of the bigger firms in New York City, everyone had given her a wide berth, and Ms. White had gotten that glazed-over look in her eye when faced with the wrath of Snixx.

"What do you think, Tess? Do you think you were born in a test tube?"

Tess seemed to think on that for a second, her face getting the little scrunch that she inherited from both her moms.

"I-I don't think so."

Brittany smiled, and cupped the little girl's chubby cheeks in her hands. Kissing carefully on each one like she was her precious treasure. Which, duh, she was.

"I want to show you something. Go get Mom's laptop."

She unwrapped her daughter from her arms, and allowed her to scramble off the couch, and into the study, carefully picking up the laptop, and fast walking back to the den.

Brittany had brought the carrots (that she'd managed not to soak in blood), and some peanut butter and sat them down on the coffee table.

Pulling Tess back into her lap, she opened the computer, and with a few clicks, they were looking at a video.

Brittany watched Tess' face light up at the image of her Mami sitting on the couch in a very small, very different looking home than the sprawling home they lived in now. Tess recognized it from old pictures of Mami and Mom. It was when they lived in Flatbush.

" _Britt, I swear to god, if you don't turn that camera off."_

 _A very pregnant Santana covered her face with a blanket before grimacing hard at her wife._

" _I look like shit."_

Tess gasped, and laughed a little. She was used to her Mami's potty mouth, but it always tended to make her giggle.

 _A hand gently reached up and cupped Santana's face._

" _You look amazing, mother of my child. You always look amazing, and I don't know if I've ever seen you look more beautiful."_

 _Santana only rolled her eyes._

" _Briiiitttt." She whined. "When is this baby going to get out of me?" Then looking down and softly stroking her stomach, she pointed her face towards a small movement. "I love you Baby LoPierce, but you've got to make your move."_

 _Brittany laid the camera down on the table, and shifted it until Santana was in plain view. She slid between Santana's legs and laid her head down in her lap, rubbing absent fingers over her wife's big belly._

" _You take as much time as you want, Baby LP." Brittany murmured, laying small kisses over her stomach. "Mommy's just being cranky. We don't want you out until you're crispy all over."_

 _Santana couldn't help but smile, running her fingers through Brittany's hair._

" _It's a bun in the oven, not a chicken, Britt." There's laugh in her voice. "And how dare you call me cranky? I'm the one with your baby pressing into my bladder."_

 _Brittany only laughed and snuggled further into Santana's lap._

" _See, Baby LP? I told you. It's much safer in there. But I know exactly what will make your Mami feel better."_

 _Brittany crawled up Santana's body, laying soft kisses there before reaching her lips, her kisses becoming hot and greedy as she reached her final destination._

 _Santana moaned softly, and reached to cup Brittany's breasts-_

Brittany closed the laptop with a snap before her daughter saw more than she needed to see. But Tess didn't seem to notice, she leaned dreamily into her Mom, snuggling closer just has Brittany had in the video.

"So, what do you think?"

"I think that you and Mami have always spent way too much time kissing." Tess said, cheekily.

Brittany ruffled the curly black locks before opening her arms, and pulling her baby on top of her, her long legs tucked beneath her. Tess straddled her lap, her head tucked under Brittany's chin and her arms wrapped around her. Tess had long since been too big for Santana's lap, and had inexplicably inherited Brittany's height, so it wouldn't be long before she was too big for her, too. But that didn't stop Santana from gathering her up in her arms, and Brittany didn't think she'd stop soon either. She began to rub soothing circles once again and hummed her agreement.

"Well, sure, but when someone is as cute as your Mami, I don't think I can help it."

Tess only stuck out her tongue, showing her disgust, and Brittany laughed, tickling the girl until she was doubled over in giggles, then raising her daughter's chin again, until she was looking into her eyes.

"What I saw in that video was a very pregnant Mami. Pregnant with you. I mean, did you even see a test tube?"

"No, I don't think so." said Tess, quietly.

"See? You came right out of your Mami's tummy, and I was there to catch you when you popped out."

"But-" she started, looking away again.

Brittany's heart almost broke seeing the hesitation and sadness in her daughter's eyes. She would have fought a dragon for her little girl, but now she couldn't protect her even from the scorn of her classmates.

"What is it?" She said, more than a little desperately. "Tell me, Tess."

Tess took another moment before plunging ahead. This was something she'd learned only from Santana. Storing up her feelings until they were about to burst, and then letting them pour out all at once. It was hard on Brittany sometimes, living with such stoic Latina's, but she was as patient as she could be with both of them, and eventually they would come around.

"What about my dad? It's Father's Day, Mom, and everybody is making cards or ties or whatever for their dads. Everybody but me."

Brittany swallowed loudly. She and Santana had had this conversation with Tess before when she was younger. But, it was age appropriate and didn't go into all the details. Tess knew that they were her mom's and they loved her very much. She knew that she looked a lot like Santana, but almost nothing like Brittany, but that Brittany was as much as her mom as Santana was. In fact, Tess knew that she could ask her Mom for things that she'd never ask Mami, because one little patented Lopez pout, and Brittany would cave.

But, Brittany wasn't sure how to deal with this situation. She wanted to be honest with their daughter, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to have this conversation without Santana.

A million thoughts raced through her head, and she patted Tess' back thoughtfully.

"Well, you remember that book we got you, about where babies come from?"

"Yeah, I remember. And I was confused then too. It said you had to have sperm from a dad and an egg from a mom. If Mami had me in her stomach, does that mean that the sperm came from you? How can you make a sperm and you're a girl? And-"

Brittany hugged her a little tighter to stem the flow of questions that were pouring out. It wasn't often that she got overwhelmed when dealing with her daughter. In fact, when Tess was still a squealing infant, it was more often than not that Brittany got up to walk her back and forth in the living room until she fell asleep, or took her on midnight drives through the city. She said she was doing it because she wanted to let Santana have as much rest as possible, but Brittany really liked the quiet times alone with her daughter. It made her feel more connected to her. She patted Tess' back a few more times for good measure.

"How about you finish your snack, and your homework, and when Mami gets home we'll talk all about it?"

Tess only nodded dumbly before sliding off of Brittany's lap, grabbing the tray and heading back to where her homework sat on the counter. Brittany missed the feeling of her daughter wrapped around her already.

\

Santana burst through the door, slamming it shut behind her against the frigid breeze.

"Fuck."

They were knee deep in fall and the weather was finally turning for the worse. Her daughter and her wife were ecstatic to finally get to start wearing all of their winter clothes, but Santana was more practical. She started a mental checklist for winterizing. First, she'd have to make sure that the windows were airtight, gutters cleaned and covered. She'd have to take Tubs in for his yearly checkup, and make sure he didn't have anything that would cause her to have to murder him after being stuck inside with him for days on end. Three years ago he'd somehow gotten fleas (Santana couldn't explain it either, he was an indoor cat), and they'd spent days bombing all the rooms, and washing everything that was able to fit in the machine. Tess and Brittany had enjoyed it because they'd gotten to spend three days away from their house, and in a nice hotel. Santana had to admit she enjoyed it too, though it started getting a little tedious to have to confine their sexy times to when Tess was at the indoor pool, or the afternoon she'd spent with her godmother Mercedes, touring her studio.

Santana stomped to the kitchen, still considering her winter list, and rubbing her arms through her pressed button up tailored blouse when she noticed her daughter, head bowed over her homework, sitting at the kitchen counter.

The oven was on, and Santana could smell dinner cooking. She always loved the days when Brittany picked Tess up, and got home early, cooking her awesome meals with recipes that she'd found online. Of course, she liked the days when Britt taught a late class, and she got to pick Tess up. She'd always make one of her grandmother's dishes, or something her mom taught her. She didn't want her daughter growing up eating only white people food.

She walked up behind Tess, kissing her soundly on the top of her head, and looking down at her homework.

"Claque mi amor?"

"Hola Mami. Tarea."

"Completar frases, por favor."

"Lo siento, Mami. Estoy haciendo mi tarea." Replied Tess, taking a rather formal tone, but smiling regardless.

Santana kissed her head again.

"Bien, bien. Donde esta tu Mom?"

"Um, I think she's in the bathroom upstairs."

"En Español, Tesla Alma!" Santana scolded.

She ignored the rolling eyes of her preteen daughter, and fixed her with a strong stare.

"Mom esta en el bano arriba."

"Muy bien." Santana said, with a satisfied smirk. She kissed her head once more, and walked out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.

"Cuidado con el horno." she warned as she left the room.

Santana stopped, and turned back to eye her daughter. Something about her tone, and the look on her face made Santana wonder if something had happened that day. "Is everything okay, baby?"

"Si, Mami, esta todo bien."

Santana didn't quite believe her, but thought she might get a more complete answer out of Brittany, so she turned back towards the stairs, before turning to Tess once again.

"Tess, don't tell Mom that I yelled Fuck at the top of my lungs when I came in."

"En Español, Mami." Tess mocked, sticking her tongue out and crossing her eyes.

Santana only rolled hers, blew a kiss up to her daughter, and mounted the stairs. Brittany and her bedroom was the first on the right, so she slipped in and searched the room for her wife. Not seeing her there, she quickly changed into her favorite sweats, and one of Brittany's school sweatshirts, and went into the bathroom, thinking she might find her there. But still, no Brittany. Santana walked out into the hallway, cocking her head to the side, and listening closely. It was times like these when Santana regretted letting Brittany talk her into moving into this behemoth of a house. Granted, it was a perfect location, and they could afford it, but it was only three of them, and she wasn't sure why they needed so many rooms.

She was about to go back downstairs and ask Tess if maybe Brittany had gone out for a last minute trip to the store, and Tess had forgotten, when she heard a soft sound coming from her daughter's room. She walked slowly until she was standing right outside the door that was open a crack. Leaning close, she clearly heard Brittany sniffling from the other side.

Santana pushed the door open softly, and could feel the tears welling up in her own eyes when she saw Brittany, who had been laying on Tess' bed, sit up quickly, shake out her long, blonde hair and dab at her eyes.

"It's okay, Tessie, I was just getting ready to come back downstairs, everything's fine." Brittany's watery voice cracked a little as she tried to pretend that she hadn't been crying, and that broke Santana's heart even more.

"It's me, Britt." Santana said quietly. Brittany still had her back to her, and turned quickly when she heard Santana's voice.

"Oh, San." she moaned.

Santana rushed to her wife's side, gathering her up in her lap.

"Brittany, baby, it's okay. I'm here, I'm right here."

She didn't do any more than hold tight to her wife, cradled in her arms, rocking her gently back and forth.

After a few minutes, Brittany lifted her head, her face ruddy from crying, and placed a moist kiss to Santana's cheek.

"I'm sorry sweetie." Brittany sniffled, wiping Santana's face with the toilet paper wadded up in her hand.

Santana would have laughed if her heart wasn't in her throat. She said nothing but caressed Brittany's hair, murmuring gentle love words.

After a few more moments, Brittany sat up completely and took Santana's hands in her own.

"It's okay, I promise." She said, catching her wife's eye.

"Would you understand why I don't believe you?"

"Santana, I-"

"What happened, Britt?" Santana said. She made sure to keep her voice gentle and calm. She made sure that her eyes conveyed all the love that she had in her heart for Brittany, and for their little family. But she knew Brittany could see the fear as well. The little wells of fear that were a constant in her heart. The ones that no matter how long time went on, and no matter how she tried, Brittany couldn't completely erase.

Brittany seeing the concern, sighed lightly, and ran a hand through her hair.

"It's Tess."

"Tesla? What did she do?" Santana raised an eyebrow. It's true her daughter was no angel, but she'd never known her to make her Mom cry. In fact, she spent most of her time trying to do things that would make Brittany happy.

"Oh, no, she didn't do anything wrong. It's just-"

Santana waited for a moment for Brittany to collect herself and finish. And when her wife did speak again, her throat was tight with more tears.

"It's Father's Day coming up, you know? And the kids were making gifts for their dads. And now she wants to know where her father is."

Santana was baffled for a moment. Of course they had talked about this conversation. They didn't know anything about Tess' biological dad, and had gotten the sperm from a sperm bank. They'd found a guy who's physical profile was the most like Brittany's (blonde, blue eyed and tall), and then read through those until they found one who's personality they seemed to like. They'd never met him, and probably never would. Everything was done anonymously.

They'd planned on telling Tess that they didn't know her biological dad, but he had given them an awesome gift, and helped her to be born, so they were thankful to him. It wasn't much, but it was a bit less clinical than the official story, and they hoped to answer all the questions she had.

But, honestly, it wasn't a complicated story, and it was the truth.

"Why didn't you just tell her what we talked about? About her being a gift?"

Brittany sighed, as if she wasn't getting through to Santana. "It's not just about her asking about her dad, or being worried about being from a test tube or having gills-"

Santana made a mental note to ask Tess to tell her the whole story later.

"It's the fact that she's wondering where her real parent is. You carried her for nine months, Santana, he provided the sperm. What if…"

Brittany didn't get a chance to finish before Santana wrapped her back up in her arms. She gently kissed Brittany all over her face, and over her cheeks. She's covering her in love, and she hopes that Brittany can feel it as strongly as she can. Finally, she looked deep into blue eyes, holding Brittany's attention.

"Britt, you're her Mom."

"But Santana-"

"Kids get curious. That's what they do. They want to know things, they want to ask questions. But you will always be her Mom. Always and forever."

Brittany sighed softly and leaned into Santana, melting into her side.

"Do you remember that night we spent at the hospital, when she was born?"

Brittany laughed. "How could I forget? You nearly broke my hand. I thought you were going to be in labor forever."

Santana grinned, "You thought? I'm pretty sure I AM still in labor."

They both chuckled at the memory as Santana played with Brittany's fingers in her lap.

"Then finally she was here, you know? And I was so exhausted, and you stayed with me until I fell asleep, just scratching my head in that way you know I love. I could have purred it was so good."

Brittany only nodded, bringing her hand to Santana's scalp, and running her nails over it.

"Mmm, just like that." Santana chuckled.. "I woke up a few hours later, and you were gone. I thought you'd gone to the bathroom, but I waited for a few minutes, and you didn't come back, so I went to search for you."

Brittany looked at Santana with round eyes. "I don't remember this."

"Yep. I went to find you and I knew right where you'd be. I walked over to the nursery, and there you were, standing by the windows. You were so quiet, and I could see you were looking right down at our sleeping girl, and you were crying. Just crying so hard."

Santana squeezed Brittany tighter against the lump in her own throat and continued.

"At first I wanted to go up and hug you tight, but then I could see past your tears, and you were smiling. You were smiling so deep, and you looked so happy, even though there were tears just running down your face. And I don't think I ever saw anything so beautiful."

Santana turned and placed a soft kiss on Brittany's temple.

"The part of me, the part you try to kiss and love away, the part that will always worry about the little things; it told me that maybe you wouldn't love this child. I mean, I know you, Britt, you love everything and everyone, except for maybe Rachel Berry sometimes. But, that part tried to convince me that because Tess wasn't officially a part of you, you might hold it against her a little bit. Maybe not love her as deeply."

Santana could feel Brittany stiffen in her arms, and she started rubbing her back again, soothingly.

"I know, I know, silly, but you know that part of my brain. It's smaller than ever, thanks to you, but back then, it was still pretty loud. Anyway, that moment, when I saw you standing at the window, crying tears of joy at your healthy, beautiful daughter, I knew that you loved her just as much as if she were a part of you, because she was. Brittany, she is."

Santana couldn't sit anymore, and kneeled on the floor in front of Brittany, as if she was going to propose all over again.

"I saw it in the way that you spent weeks agonizing over her name, and then being beside yourself with joy when I agreed to let you name her after your favorite scientist of all time. I saw it in the way you always went out of your way to show her off, and how you always insisted that you hold her in the little baby carrier when we went out. I saw it in the way that you spent all of the summer of her third grade year teaching her theoretical physics because you "didn't want her to be behind". I see it in the way she loves to dance with her Mom, and the way she always comes to you first when she scrapes her knee and the way that she smiles a little grin with half her face just like you do, and how the first thing she wants to do when we go to the park is feed the ducks."

Santana's words are getting a little more harried, and she has so much to say, but feels like there aren't enough minutes to say it all.

"I see it in the way that she treats every person like her best friend, the way that she loves to look at the sky after it rains, the way that she's patient with me even when I don't deserve it, and gracious and loving and kind. She is yours, Brittany. I don't care what biology says, that little girl lives in your heart and you live in hers, and she loves you with everything she is. And she's a Pierce, so we know she doesn't do anything half way. She loves everything you are, and you love everything she is, and you're so awesomely in love, if I didn't know you, I'd totally hate you."

Brittany smile beamed, which was Santana's goal all along.

"She's mine." Brittany whispered, burying her face in her wife's neck. "She's mine."

"Well, duh." Santana says in an obvious tone, once again peppering her wife's face with kisses.

Santana sees a movement at the door, and calls out before the figure can escape.

"It's okay, mija. It's your room, come in."

Tesla pushes open the door, her face shiny with tears as well, and doesn't hesitate a moment as Brittany and Santana open their arms to her. She rushes over and buries herself in her moms' love.

"Alm summers Mom"

Brittany chuckles through a sniffle, and pulls Tess' head from her shoulder.

"What was that, sweetie?"

"I'm sorry, Mom. I love you so much. I don't care about having a dad, I just wanted to know, but I love you so much, and I don't ever want you to-"

Santana can feel Tess getting almost hysterical, so she pushes her full on into Brittany's lap, and rubs her back, murmuring the words of love she'd just pointed at her wife.

Brittany, for her part, manages to keep her own tears from falling, and gently rocks Tess for a few more moments.

"Tess." She says, quietly. "You don't have to be sorry. You wanted to know, and you have a right to. I was just being insecure, and a little scared. But your Mami talked me out of it, and she's right. I love you, and you love me, and that's all that matters."

"But I don't want to talk about my dad, if it makes you sad."

"It doesn't make me sad, Tesla. I just don't want to think of you growing up so fast. But no matter how big you get, you're always going to be my little girl, and I love you so, so much."

"I love you too, Mommy."

Santana's heart melts as Tess buries her face back into Brittany's shoulder. She looks into Brittany's eyes and sees the tears gathering there. Tess had stopped calling Brittany 'Mommy' the year before, deciding that it was too childish. Brittany had been a little sad, but had gotten used to hearing 'Mom".

"So, what do you want to know, mija?" Santana asked, running her fingers through her daughter's curly hair.

"Well-"

Before Tess could finish her sentence, a loud ringing echoed through their house.

"Shit! The chicken!" Brittany bounced Tess into Santana's arms, racing out of the bedroom, down the stairs and towards the shrieking fire alarm.

Tess chuckled at her mom's language, while Santana gingerly got up from her place on the floor, and took her daughter by the hand.

"Now what's all this about test tubes and gills?"

Tess laughed. "I'll tell you all about it over takeout."

Now it was Santana's turn to laugh. "You really are getting more and more like your mom every day."

She couldn't help but notice the way Tess' face glowed with happiness. Just like her mom.


End file.
